Pujo Parikrama – Kolkata (North)

God always shows us the way. But it’s finding the way to Her, where we get stuck. Or so I realized during my attempts to visit the pandals in the northern fringes of the city.

In today’s era, when our mental compass is mostly guided by the blue arrow in Google Maps, it wasn’t a wonder that I found myself lost as Google uncle hasn’t yet started taking the Puja Pandals as landmark locations. Searching on my phone hence wasn’t an option. Added to it was the fact that most of the roads near the Biggies are closed to traffic, of the vehicular kind that is.

But all said and done, nothing can prevent people like me, from thronging the streets in search of Ma Durga (and some nice D-SLR shots that I can brag about).

So it was 2 AM on my watch, and I was still standing behind a few thousand people, in the narrow lanes leading up to Kumartuli Park. And here I was, thinking that I was the only wise one out on the streets now, as most would have gone back home after their all day long treks!

Alas! I had again underestimated the undying spirit of the people of my city, that never fails to surprise me: what lay in front was enough to make me want to return to that peaceful sleep back home, from which I had been very rudely aroused from.

But as Tagore has said, “You can’t cross the sea by merely standing and staring at the water”.

So I had to take a plunge and wade my way through (sometimes a little too roughly for my fellow countrymen’s tastes) through the never ending wave of people.

From one pandal to the next, the story repeated itself. But I, a seasoned pandal-hopper, was equal to the task. The result of my efforts? They follow beneath.

The vermillon red pandal at Nalin Sarkar Street was a treat to the eyes Spiraling upThe Idol at Nalin Sarkar StreetHatibagan Nabin PallyHatibagan Sarbojanin Pandal, showcasing the art of Origami. A pandal made with paper streamersThe power withinIdol at Hatibagan SarbojaninPandal at Kumartuli Park, depicting natural calamities…..…earthquakes….…..and some man made calamities- war and its effectsIdol at Kumartuli ParkAhiritola Pandal, made of cane and bambooIdol at AhiritolaIdol at Kashi Bose LaneSculptures at Kashi Bose Lane PandalOne of those few Pujas which has refrained from entering the battle of themes, and has held on to its old world charm….The legacy continues at Bagbazar Sarbojanin Durgotsav

(This article is by Archya, the trying-to-be-global bangali babu, who is attempting to carve out a niche for himself in blogosphere, having had mixed results in Medicine Practice. In short, a struggling artist.

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Published by Archya Sengupta

Archya, is a doctor-turned-healthcare administrator, who thinks he has a passion for writing, and hence uses the idle time he gets to pen down his thoughts. No publishing house has yet made him any offers though, so he has to now debate his opportunity costs.
Archya is presently pursuing a MBA (PGPX) from IIM, Ahmedabad.
View all posts by Archya Sengupta